BBC2 tackles Tabloid Empire

BBC2 in the UK has commissioned a social history series from the local producer behind A Dangerous Dynasty: House of Assad that will explore the reach of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire across the British press.

Rupert Murdoch

A Tabloid Empire (3×60′) is from 72 Films and will cover the period from 1997 to 2012 in “forensic detail.” It will use archive footage and exclusive interviews to examine how the newspaper industry shifted from exerting great influence over politics to becoming mired in scandal.

Patrick Holland, controller at BBC2, said: “With A Dangerous Dynasty: House of Assad, 72 Films made one of the most exceptional modern history series of recent years. This series promises to combine the same forensic eye for detail with the best documentary storytelling to explore the decade thart changed our relationship with the press forever.”

The executive producers are Cate Hall and David Glover, with the show commissioned by Holland and Tom McDonald, head of commissioning for BBC’s natural history and specialist factual. The commissioning editor is Simon Young.